Londonersinvited to cityto flee games

It’s an innovative aspect of plans to harness the tourist potential of the London 2012 sports extravaganza for Northern Ireland.

The ‘escape the games’ campaign will include advertising in train stations and newspapers inviting Londoners to come to Northern Ireland whilst the games are on.

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster made the revelation in response to an Assembly Question tabled by UUP MLA Sandra Overend who wanted to know what action she was taking to promote Northern Ireland as a tourism destination, specifically during the 2012 London Olympics.

Mrs Foster replied: “The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) is working closely with Tourism Ireland Ltd (TIL) and Visit Britain (VB), to ensure maximum exposure for Northern Ireland throughout Great Britain during the 2012 London Olympics.

“NITB is supporting specific London 2012 Festival/Cultural Olympiad events through the ni2012 programme of events with TIL maximising publicity around these events and around the Olympic Torch Relay, which comes to Northern Ireland in June.

“Key tourism benefits around the Games will come from contacts and media familiarisation trips with non-accredited press and both organisations are working to bring these to Northern Ireland before, during and after the games.”

But surprisingly tourist bosses also want to encourage Londoners fed up with the games to get away from it all by coming over here.

“Tourism Ireland will shortly launch an advertising campaign to target those Londoners who want to ‘escape’ the Games. The campaign will include advertising in train stations and newspapers inviting Londoners to come to Northern Ireland this summer.

“In addition, NITB is working with Visit Britain under its Memorandum of Understanding to maximise a range of promotional and marketing opportunities

with the London Olympics Media Centre during the Games period,” she said.